New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12), center, walks off the field after a series of plays in the first quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Nearing the midway point of the NFL season, it's time to take a look at the most disappointing players in fantasy football. This team of misfits is comprised of players who have fallen well short of preseason expectations, in some cases providing little in return in exchange for first-round draft picks.

All is not lost with at least eight more games remaining on each player's schedule, but patience is becoming harder and harder to find as the fantasy playoffs approach. Are these players the products of slow starts or are they clear-cut busts?

QB Colin Kaepernick: Clearly too much was expected of Kaepernick, too early in his career. Coming off an extraordinary seven-game audition last season, Kaepernick was consistently drafted ahead of Matt Ryan, Matthew Stafford and Russell Wilson. He's since thrown for 200 or more yards just twice in eight games while offering few contributions on the ground until scoring his first touchdown in Week 7.

QB Tom Brady: Lack of weapons be damned, Brady was still the fourth quarterback off the board behind Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. All those concerns have been proven valid as Brady ranks 15th in the NFL in passing (1,824 yards), 17th in touchdowns (9) and 29th in completion percentage (55.7). There's hope for the second half, though, if Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski can stay on the field.

RB Trent Richardson: The trade to Indianapolis has done little to jumpstart Richardson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft. A first-round pick in many fantasy drafts, Richardson's lowly rushing average has fallen from 3.5 ypc to 3.1, while he's played no role in the Colts' passing game. Another troublesome season has only fueled the idea that Richardson is a big-time bust, in both fantasy and reality.

RB C.J. Spiller: A sprained ankle has limited Spiller for much of the season and made backfield mate Fred Jackson look like an All-Pro. A year after exploding for 1,244 yards and ranking second in the NFL behind Adrian Peterson in rushing average (6.0 ypc), Spiller has looked pedestrian at best with just 362 yards and one score. His role as a receiver has also vanished with just 14 catches for 36 yards.

WR Dwayne Bowe: The Chiefs offense has become more efficient, which has had a detrimental effect on Bowe. The veteran is on pace for career-lows in targets (46) and receiving average (11.6), byproducts of quarterback Alex Smith's lack of arm strength and a renewed commitment to get others involved. The ball is being spread around and the days of locking on Bowe are officially over.

WR Roddy White: White has been slowed by ankle and hamstring injuries in producing just 14 catches for 129 yards in five games. He's missed two more with injury, offering next to no production in exchange for the third-round pick required to obtain him. White ranks 142nd in the NFL in receptions (14) and 156th in yardage (129), and the Falcons have stumbled to a 2-5 start.

WR Marques Colston: Colston has no injury to blame for a diminishing role in the Saints' offense. He has just one touchdown in seven games and is on pace for career-lows in receptions, targets and yards. Tight end Jimmy Graham and running back Darren Sproles continue to poach his targets, while rookie Kenny Stills has begun to emerge as a bona fide deep threat. Colston can still turn his season around, but he's already tumbled down the early 2015 rankings.

FLEX Lamar Miller: Miller offered hope to a running backs pool that had few proven commodities beyond the top tier of players. A fifth-round pick in many fantasy drafts, Miller has had trouble winning the lion's share of carries from teammate Daniel Thomas. Trust level has been an issue all season following 10-carry, three-yard effort in the season opener. Miller's recorded just 77 carries, 29th-most in the NFL, for 343 yards and scored two touchdowns.

TE Kyle Rudolph: Rudolph's fantasy value was derived almost exclusively from touchdowns after finding paydirt nine times in a breakout 2012 campaign. But the Vikings found a way to bring even less certainty to their quarterback situation and Rudolph has plodded through seven games with 278 yard and two touchdowns. Rudolph was, on average, the sixth tight end off the board in fantasy drafts.

D/ST Houston Texans: Little has gone right in Houston, including a surprising slide to mediocrity on a defense that specialized in sacks (44) and takeaways (29) last season. The Texans rank 25th in the NFL in sacks (16) and are tied for 29th in takeaways (5), while giving up 27.7 points per game. A consensus No. 3 defense in drafts, Houston has produced just two double-digit efforts in seven games.